Jan 1, 2021, 8:29 am
Last edit by: corporate-wage-slave
01 - If your flight is cancelled by BA:
Commercial booking: Your options are: cash refund OR Future Travel Voucher (FTV) OR rebooking OR Avios credit
Redemption booking: Your options are: full refund of cash and Avios OR FTV OR rebooking.
BA Holidays booking: You should be given a refund pro-actively.
If your flight is cancelled by BA - any flight in the PNR - you can get a full refund so long as you booked directly with BA. You can only get a refund by telephoning BA. Refunds are taking between a few hours to a few weeks to be repaid, depending on the sort of booking made. If you don't wish to travel you can opt for an FTV or eVoucher valid for travel until 30 April 2023 (now extended from April 2022 including existing FTVs), though flights more than 355 days away are not currently bookable - flights are enabled at 355 days before departure. Vouchers such as 2-4-1 are also thereby extended. You can do this even if the flight is operating. The best advice we can give is to delay opting for an eVoucher options until the last moment, since if BA cancel your flight you have more options. BA have also adjusted the Standard Customer Guidelines so that if BA cancel the flight you can be rebooked to anytime in 12 months after you originally bought the ticket, so long as there is space in the cabin - there is no need to have a fare bucket available or Avios availability. If you choose the Avios credit you will get between 108 to 126 Avios per GBP of your fare. If you us,ed an FTV to pay for this now cancelled service then you can have a refund back to the FTV's original booking.
Online forms: manual process which may take many weeks
link to webform to claim a refund (UK) or link to webform to claim a refund (US)
Paid Seating Refund:
link to webform to claim a refund (UK)
02 - If your flight is not cancelled but you no longer wish to travel
Commercial booking: If you are eligible for Buy with Confidence, you can have an FTV valid until 31 August 2022 (this has been extended several times). Rebooking may lead to a fare recalculation but no change fee. Travel must be fully completed by this date.
Redemption booking: Your can do the normal Avios refund, with the redeposit fee capped at GBP 35 per person. Alternatively for the same fee you can rebook to new dates subject to availability. Alternatively you can have an FTV.
BA Holidays booking: You may be get a refund proactively, otherwise you are looking at an FTV for at least the flight component of your trip, maybe for all components.
If all of the flights in your booking are still scheduled and you don't wish to travel then you best wait until a few days before departure in case there is a cancellation. As you can see above, a cancellation gives you better options. You are in scope with Buy with Confidence if you are flying between now and completing travel before 30 April 2022, also if you bought your ticket after 3 March and due to complete all flights before September 2021. The BA web page on this is: https://ba.com/confidence
Bookings made using Lloyds Upgrade Voucher
You should expect to receive:
A full refund of Avios and money paid plus a new voucher issued, which has validity for 6 months (from the date of issue, i.e. when you request the 'refund')
Lloyds Upgrade Voucher Notes
03 - How to find out the status of your voucher and the amount it contains
Use the Qantas website and look back to your original PNR. Step by step guide by corporate-wage-slave
04 - Future Travel Vouchers versus eVouchers
FTVs cannot be used online (and are not really vouchers), whereas eVouchers, issued for simple bookings, can be used online.
BA are now issuing eVouchers directly in simple cases, and also proactively replacing existing FTVs with new eVouchers. These are usable online. Complex cases still get FTVs, which require a phone call to book. In both cases, you need to apply online through the Cancellation Options in MMB, and both will generate an email typically within a few minutes. This is how to tell the difference
1) eVouchers will get an email entitled "Your British Airways eVoucher"
This will then have a line like this and the online ability is mentioned in the email text:
Your eVoucher details
125-1234567890 / GBP48.87 / WAGE-SLAVE /
2) FTVs will get an email entitled "Your British Airways Future Travel Voucher"
The relevant line then shows:
Voucher code(s)
125-1234567890
It doesn't take much, by FT standards, to turn a booking too complicated for the automated eVoucher. POUGs, flight changes, TCP, seat payment, pay payment with Avios, UuA. 48 and 72 hour Hold bookings all stop it. But if you made a simple single or return booking, point to point, on BA.com and didn't change it, then you should get an eVoucher.
If you obtain an FTV, deploy it on a new booking which BA then cancels, then you can get a refund of the cash from the first booking that led to the FTV. Or an Avios refund without redeposit fees if it was a redemption.
Commercial booking: Your options are: cash refund OR Future Travel Voucher (FTV) OR rebooking OR Avios credit
Redemption booking: Your options are: full refund of cash and Avios OR FTV OR rebooking.
BA Holidays booking: You should be given a refund pro-actively.
If your flight is cancelled by BA - any flight in the PNR - you can get a full refund so long as you booked directly with BA. You can only get a refund by telephoning BA. Refunds are taking between a few hours to a few weeks to be repaid, depending on the sort of booking made. If you don't wish to travel you can opt for an FTV or eVoucher valid for travel until 30 April 2023 (now extended from April 2022 including existing FTVs), though flights more than 355 days away are not currently bookable - flights are enabled at 355 days before departure. Vouchers such as 2-4-1 are also thereby extended. You can do this even if the flight is operating. The best advice we can give is to delay opting for an eVoucher options until the last moment, since if BA cancel your flight you have more options. BA have also adjusted the Standard Customer Guidelines so that if BA cancel the flight you can be rebooked to anytime in 12 months after you originally bought the ticket, so long as there is space in the cabin - there is no need to have a fare bucket available or Avios availability. If you choose the Avios credit you will get between 108 to 126 Avios per GBP of your fare. If you us,ed an FTV to pay for this now cancelled service then you can have a refund back to the FTV's original booking.
Online forms: manual process which may take many weeks
link to webform to claim a refund (UK) or link to webform to claim a refund (US)
Paid Seating Refund:
link to webform to claim a refund (UK)
02 - If your flight is not cancelled but you no longer wish to travel
Commercial booking: If you are eligible for Buy with Confidence, you can have an FTV valid until 31 August 2022 (this has been extended several times). Rebooking may lead to a fare recalculation but no change fee. Travel must be fully completed by this date.
Redemption booking: Your can do the normal Avios refund, with the redeposit fee capped at GBP 35 per person. Alternatively for the same fee you can rebook to new dates subject to availability. Alternatively you can have an FTV.
BA Holidays booking: You may be get a refund proactively, otherwise you are looking at an FTV for at least the flight component of your trip, maybe for all components.
If all of the flights in your booking are still scheduled and you don't wish to travel then you best wait until a few days before departure in case there is a cancellation. As you can see above, a cancellation gives you better options. You are in scope with Buy with Confidence if you are flying between now and completing travel before 30 April 2022, also if you bought your ticket after 3 March and due to complete all flights before September 2021. The BA web page on this is: https://ba.com/confidence
Bookings made using Lloyds Upgrade Voucher
You should expect to receive:
A full refund of Avios and money paid plus a new voucher issued, which has validity for 6 months (from the date of issue, i.e. when you request the 'refund')
Lloyds Upgrade Voucher Notes
- Flights can be used within 12 months, so it will be good for travel up until the end 6 months plus 12 months if you book just before the new expiry
- It's been advised to take the voucher instead of rebooking as it gives me more flexibility.
- The original expiry date of the voucher was irrelevant because the booking was cancelled.
- You must book within 6 months of the voucher being issued and the ticket has 12 months validity so you can change flights after, provided the new flights are within the 12 month window.
- You won't receive any email, only the refund and the miles.
03 - How to find out the status of your voucher and the amount it contains
Use the Qantas website and look back to your original PNR. Step by step guide by corporate-wage-slave
04 - Future Travel Vouchers versus eVouchers
FTVs cannot be used online (and are not really vouchers), whereas eVouchers, issued for simple bookings, can be used online.
BA are now issuing eVouchers directly in simple cases, and also proactively replacing existing FTVs with new eVouchers. These are usable online. Complex cases still get FTVs, which require a phone call to book. In both cases, you need to apply online through the Cancellation Options in MMB, and both will generate an email typically within a few minutes. This is how to tell the difference
1) eVouchers will get an email entitled "Your British Airways eVoucher"
This will then have a line like this and the online ability is mentioned in the email text:
Your eVoucher details
125-1234567890 / GBP48.87 / WAGE-SLAVE /
2) FTVs will get an email entitled "Your British Airways Future Travel Voucher"
The relevant line then shows:
Voucher code(s)
125-1234567890
It doesn't take much, by FT standards, to turn a booking too complicated for the automated eVoucher. POUGs, flight changes, TCP, seat payment, pay payment with Avios, UuA. 48 and 72 hour Hold bookings all stop it. But if you made a simple single or return booking, point to point, on BA.com and didn't change it, then you should get an eVoucher.
If you obtain an FTV, deploy it on a new booking which BA then cancels, then you can get a refund of the cash from the first booking that led to the FTV. Or an Avios refund without redeposit fees if it was a redemption.
BA Covid-19 Flight cancellations, rebooking, and refunds | Help and advice thread
Jan 5, 2021, 5:57 am
#61
Join Date: Apr 2019
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 228
So, I have managed to confuse myself as to what options I have
1. BA Cancelled my original flight, from the 7th Jan to Bermuda
2. BA rebooked me on flight on 6th Jan (still to Bermuda)
3. I changed the date of the flight from the 6th Jan to the 25th Feb (as I guessed there would be a lockdown)
4. I am now thinking I might just cancel the flight completely, as not sure if the work is going to go ahead on Island now)
5. Was paid with 74,800 Avios and Ł1441.68 (Was1st Class both ways, as was aiming for social distancing)
So, if I cancel, as they started the original cancellation, am I able to get a refund, or because I have done some changes, do I get a eVoucher?
Also, do I just get the Avois back 'as-is' - or does something happen to that?
Given how busy the phone lines are, I didn't want to call !
Cheers
1. BA Cancelled my original flight, from the 7th Jan to Bermuda
2. BA rebooked me on flight on 6th Jan (still to Bermuda)
3. I changed the date of the flight from the 6th Jan to the 25th Feb (as I guessed there would be a lockdown)
4. I am now thinking I might just cancel the flight completely, as not sure if the work is going to go ahead on Island now)
5. Was paid with 74,800 Avios and Ł1441.68 (Was1st Class both ways, as was aiming for social distancing)
So, if I cancel, as they started the original cancellation, am I able to get a refund, or because I have done some changes, do I get a eVoucher?
Also, do I just get the Avois back 'as-is' - or does something happen to that?
Given how busy the phone lines are, I didn't want to call !
Cheers
Jan 5, 2021, 6:15 am
#62
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC, Eurostar
Posts: 3,283
So, if I cancel, as they started the original cancellation, am I able to get a refund, or because I have done some changes, do I get a eVoucher?
Also, do I just get the Avois back 'as-is' - or does something happen to that?
Given how busy the phone lines are, I didn't want to call !
Also, do I just get the Avois back 'as-is' - or does something happen to that?
Given how busy the phone lines are, I didn't want to call !
ETA: alternatively since it's a reward booking you can ask for a refund minus 35gbp per flight! Then you'll get both all the Avios and most of the cash back.
Jan 5, 2021, 6:28 am
#63
Join Date: Apr 2019
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 228
Unfortunately, you forfeited your right to a refund when you rebooked for another date, so the first thing to do now is to wait, probably until the day before you are scheduled to fly. If BA cancel again then you'll be able to get a full refund. Otherwise you can apply for an FTV which will hold both the Avios and cash, which will be valid for travel until Apr 2022. That should be requested before check-in closes (typically an hour before scheduled departure time) but you should request it a bit earlier just in case anything goes wrong.
ETA: alternatively since it's a reward booking you can ask for a refund minus 35gbp per flight! Then you'll get both all the Avios and most of the cash back.
ETA: alternatively since it's a reward booking you can ask for a refund minus 35gbp per flight! Then you'll get both all the Avios and most of the cash back.
I know FTV can be a bit of a pain, so might just go for the refund of the reward booking
Cheers
Jan 5, 2021, 6:32 am
#64
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 1,347
I’m somewhat preempting here but looking to find out my options beforehand
Last May I booked a BA Holiday for April ‘21 in J to SJC & upgraded the outbound to F using avios. Subsequently SJC lost F and they allowed me to move it to LAX.
It’s looking increasingly unlikely that I’ll make it to the US for April & I know I have the option of requesting a FTV. However, the likelihood of me finding a flight with 4 F avios seats is slim.
The itinerary is complex enough (DUB-LHR-LAX-LAS-PHL-DUB) and given AA’s penchant for cancelling flights, it’s entirely possible there’ll be a cancellation of some sort. If this happens, can I force a rebooking on a new date (say in September), not necessarily the exact same routing but with an outbound F segment?
Cheers
Last May I booked a BA Holiday for April ‘21 in J to SJC & upgraded the outbound to F using avios. Subsequently SJC lost F and they allowed me to move it to LAX.
It’s looking increasingly unlikely that I’ll make it to the US for April & I know I have the option of requesting a FTV. However, the likelihood of me finding a flight with 4 F avios seats is slim.
The itinerary is complex enough (DUB-LHR-LAX-LAS-PHL-DUB) and given AA’s penchant for cancelling flights, it’s entirely possible there’ll be a cancellation of some sort. If this happens, can I force a rebooking on a new date (say in September), not necessarily the exact same routing but with an outbound F segment?
Cheers
Jan 5, 2021, 7:30 am
#65
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: London. Or a plane.
Programs: "Only" 50,000 TPs until BA GGLfL
Posts: 2,773
I have a booking for 11th Jan (in 6 days) - Revenue ticket, BA issued, bought directly from BA, only the one BA operated flight in the booking. The route is not in any JBA.
I think it's highly likely the flight is cancelled due to change in government rules about nonstop flights from the UK at the destination. I expect the cancellation will happen more than 24 hours before departure. Am I right in the thinking BA will not offer to accommodate me on a non-oneworld carrier? With UK citizens not resident in those countries currently barred from flights to the US and Spain, I'm not really sure how a westward rebooking with a transit is supposed to work.
I think it's highly likely the flight is cancelled due to change in government rules about nonstop flights from the UK at the destination. I expect the cancellation will happen more than 24 hours before departure. Am I right in the thinking BA will not offer to accommodate me on a non-oneworld carrier? With UK citizens not resident in those countries currently barred from flights to the US and Spain, I'm not really sure how a westward rebooking with a transit is supposed to work.
Last edited by alexwuk; Jan 5, 2021 at 8:19 am
Jan 5, 2021, 7:45 am
#66
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 28
hi KULKyle
this is the current policy for cancelled BA flights https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32809399-post18.html
if your BA flight is cancelled (whether revenue or reward, and regardless of what you paid for it) you can move the flights to any date within ticket validity (which is one year from when you made the booking). it has to be the same route and rebooking on to BA flights. you do not need same selling class or reward availability, any space in the same cabin will be sufficient. there will be no fare difference or fees to pay.
this is the current policy for cancelled BA flights https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32809399-post18.html
if your BA flight is cancelled (whether revenue or reward, and regardless of what you paid for it) you can move the flights to any date within ticket validity (which is one year from when you made the booking). it has to be the same route and rebooking on to BA flights. you do not need same selling class or reward availability, any space in the same cabin will be sufficient. there will be no fare difference or fees to pay.
Jan 6, 2021, 9:09 am
#67
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Sussex, UK
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 489
I have a booking to Dubai for the end of this month, using Avios and a companion voucher.
Hopefully this will be cancelled - if it is, I understand i can rebook onto any other day without the need for reward availability.
If that happens, potentially might look to rebook to November 2021. Now the thing is, the underlying companion voucher expires in June 2021.
I understand you can create a FTV and then extend this to April 2022. This booking / PNR originally had a LAX booking, which i cancelled, converted to FTV and rebooked Dubai for this month (this was done on 4/12/20).
Question is, am i likely to be able to move this booking to, say, November 2021 without the need for reward availability assuming a cancellation. Or will i just need to suck it up and get the FTV and look for reward availability due to the companion voucher expiring in June 21?
Hopefully this will be cancelled - if it is, I understand i can rebook onto any other day without the need for reward availability.
If that happens, potentially might look to rebook to November 2021. Now the thing is, the underlying companion voucher expires in June 2021.
I understand you can create a FTV and then extend this to April 2022. This booking / PNR originally had a LAX booking, which i cancelled, converted to FTV and rebooked Dubai for this month (this was done on 4/12/20).
Question is, am i likely to be able to move this booking to, say, November 2021 without the need for reward availability assuming a cancellation. Or will i just need to suck it up and get the FTV and look for reward availability due to the companion voucher expiring in June 21?
Jan 6, 2021, 9:44 am
#68
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC, Eurostar
Posts: 3,283
Question is, am i likely to be able to move this booking to, say, November 2021 without the need for reward availability assuming a cancellation. Or will i just need to suck it up and get the FTV and look for reward availability due to the companion voucher expiring in June 21?
Regarding moving your flight, I think you should be able to, but beware of 'maybe' bookings. We don't know if next winter won't bring another set of restrictions. And next November isn't protected by BWC yet.
Jan 6, 2021, 11:33 am
#69
Join Date: Jan 2021
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 3
Hi all- my partner and I had a booking on BA to Muscat in December (in Club, using the Avios 50% discount and a 2-4-1 voucher). The flight was of course cancelled. As I understand, BA has now suspended the Muscat route. Do I therefore have the right to be rebooked onto Qatar Airways to Muscat on a date of my choosing within twelve months of date of ticket purchase, assuming two revenue seats are available? If not, what are my options for using this ticket? Thanks in advance for your advice!
Jan 6, 2021, 11:51 am
#70
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 573
Jan 6, 2021, 1:46 pm
#71
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Scotland, Spain
Programs: Skywards Gold, Amex Plat, SkyTeam Silver
Posts: 1,162
Got through to somebody regarding changing my flights on Friday.
He has put me on hold to speak to ticketing to get it reissued. It's been a good 20minutes now. The hold music is also 'we will put you through to somebody as soon as possible'.
Am I being paranoid? Previous ticket changes took 3/4minutes max....
Edit: He did eventually come back to me to say he had left it with the Fare team and they'd phone me back later today or tomorrow with the reprice..
He has put me on hold to speak to ticketing to get it reissued. It's been a good 20minutes now. The hold music is also 'we will put you through to somebody as soon as possible'.
Am I being paranoid? Previous ticket changes took 3/4minutes max....
Edit: He did eventually come back to me to say he had left it with the Fare team and they'd phone me back later today or tomorrow with the reprice..
Jan 6, 2021, 2:44 pm
#72
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: England
Programs: BAEC: Bronze; Marriott: Gold
Posts: 399
Hi all- my partner and I had a booking on BA to Muscat in December (in Club, using the Avios 50% discount and a 2-4-1 voucher). The flight was of course cancelled. As I understand, BA has now suspended the Muscat route. Do I therefore have the right to be rebooked onto Qatar Airways to Muscat on a date of my choosing within twelve months of date of ticket purchase, assuming two revenue seats are available? If not, what are my options for using this ticket? Thanks in advance for your advice!
Jan 6, 2021, 3:52 pm
#73
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 427
Hello looking for advice please.
My flight to KUL in July 2021 was cancelled.
I was put onto Malaysia Airlines flights, well within an hour of the original BA flights which was a welcome outcome.
However, the outbound overnight flight has been cancelled as Malaysia Airlines have reduced the service to just the point flight per day, departing Heathrow in the morning.
I've been put onto that morning departure.
This is really quite inconvenient for me for a number of reasons.
I rang Youfirst and asked to be put onto Qatar flights, ideally from BHX (which is very close by). Alas BA are refusing any options and seem to feel that this morning flight (10.5 hours earlier than the cancelled one) is sufficient to meet their obligations.
Is that right?
I would need to take an extra day annual leave, and I'd need to overnight in London. BA tell me I can't claim a hotel.
This feels incorrect, and a Qatar flight from BHX or even a London airport would be far more conveniently timed.
So are the BA Youfirst team correct, or can I somehow cite something and insist on a change to Qatar Airways?
Thanks
My flight to KUL in July 2021 was cancelled.
I was put onto Malaysia Airlines flights, well within an hour of the original BA flights which was a welcome outcome.
However, the outbound overnight flight has been cancelled as Malaysia Airlines have reduced the service to just the point flight per day, departing Heathrow in the morning.
I've been put onto that morning departure.
This is really quite inconvenient for me for a number of reasons.
I rang Youfirst and asked to be put onto Qatar flights, ideally from BHX (which is very close by). Alas BA are refusing any options and seem to feel that this morning flight (10.5 hours earlier than the cancelled one) is sufficient to meet their obligations.
Is that right?
I would need to take an extra day annual leave, and I'd need to overnight in London. BA tell me I can't claim a hotel.
This feels incorrect, and a Qatar flight from BHX or even a London airport would be far more conveniently timed.
So are the BA Youfirst team correct, or can I somehow cite something and insist on a change to Qatar Airways?
Thanks
Jan 6, 2021, 3:56 pm
#74
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,878
Hello looking for advice please.
My flight to KUL in July 2021 was cancelled.
I was put onto Malaysia Airlines flights, well within an hour of the original BA flights which was a welcome outcome.
However, the outbound overnight flight has been cancelled as Malaysia Airlines have reduced the service to just the point flight per day, departing Heathrow in the morning.
I've been put onto that morning departure.
This is really quite inconvenient for me for a number of reasons.
I rang Youfirst and asked to be put onto Qatar flights, ideally from BHX (which is very close by). Alas BA are refusing any options and seem to feel that this morning flight (10.5 hours earlier than the cancelled one) is sufficient to meet their obligations.
Is that right?
I would need to take an extra day annual leave, and I'd need to overnight in London. BA tell me I can't claim a hotel.
This feels incorrect, and a Qatar flight from BHX or even a London airport would be far more conveniently timed.
So are the BA Youfirst team correct, or can I somehow cite something and insist on a change to Qatar Airways?
Thanks
My flight to KUL in July 2021 was cancelled.
I was put onto Malaysia Airlines flights, well within an hour of the original BA flights which was a welcome outcome.
However, the outbound overnight flight has been cancelled as Malaysia Airlines have reduced the service to just the point flight per day, departing Heathrow in the morning.
I've been put onto that morning departure.
This is really quite inconvenient for me for a number of reasons.
I rang Youfirst and asked to be put onto Qatar flights, ideally from BHX (which is very close by). Alas BA are refusing any options and seem to feel that this morning flight (10.5 hours earlier than the cancelled one) is sufficient to meet their obligations.
Is that right?
I would need to take an extra day annual leave, and I'd need to overnight in London. BA tell me I can't claim a hotel.
This feels incorrect, and a Qatar flight from BHX or even a London airport would be far more conveniently timed.
So are the BA Youfirst team correct, or can I somehow cite something and insist on a change to Qatar Airways?
Thanks
Jan 6, 2021, 4:01 pm
#75
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 427
It was an avios reward booking, using a companion voucher.
Out in first, back in club.
Is there a different policy for cancelled reward flights?
If so, why?
Thanks
